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[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1525 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: HCancro@GreenburghNY.com https://greenburghny.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
IN PROGRESS.UH, WELCOME TO OUR TOWN BOARD.
OUR WORK SESSION TODAY IS APRIL 12TH.
AUGUST, AUGUST, AUGUST 12TH, 5 42.
UM, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COOLER WEATHER.
UM, AND UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE BUSINESS WAS, UH, IS, UH, THE NINE 11, UH, MEMORIAL.
UM, OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE KNOWS WE TOOK THE WALL DOWN.
WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE? MY NAME IS JOE LUCAS.
I'M THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
UM, WE, UM, TOOK THE WALL DOWN AND WE STILL HAVE AN ARTIFACT FROM NINE 11 THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR US THAT'S, UH, SITTING IN MY OFFICE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, SINCE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION ON A NEW MEMORIAL, WE'RE GONNA PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR THIS, UH, EVENT THAT'S COMING UP IN THIS SEPTEMBER.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA TAKE, UH, TWO PIECES OF WOOD THAT ARE 10 BY 10.
WE'VE FINISHED THEM AND WE'RE, UH, STAINING THEM AND WE'RE GONNA SET THEM INTO THE LOCATION NEXT TO THE GARDEN, NEXT TO THE JARRED BURN CENTER.
AND WE'RE GONNA MOUNT THE PIECE OF, UH, METAL BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PUT A BORDER AROUND THE OUTSIDE THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE SHAPE OF A PENTAGON.
UM, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TEMPORARY FOR THIS YEAR.
UH, THE BOARD CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, IF THEY LIKE IT, THEY COULD KEEP IT OR THEY COULD ACTUALLY UPGRADE SOMETHING LATER ON.
IS THERE IS AT SOME POINT, ARE WE GONNA THINK ABOUT ON, SORRY.
AT SOME POINT, ARE WE GONNA THINK ABOUT BRINGING THAT MONUMENT HERE TO TOWN HALL SO IT'S MORE VISIBLE? WE COULD DO, WE COULD DO EITHER ONE.
WE JUST DIDN'T WANNA LET THIS YEAR GO BY UNDERSTOOD.
AND SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MOVED ANY PLACE WE WANT, BUT WE JUST THOUGHT WE WOULD PUT IT IN THERE.
'CAUSE I GOT A SPOT THERE RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROCKS THAT HAVE THE NAME OF EVERYBODY IN GREENBURG THAT PASSED.
THERE'S ALSO A DEDICATION FOR THAT LITTLE MEMORIAL GARDEN RIGHT THERE.
IF THE TOWN BOARD DECIDES THAT THEY WANNA MOVE IT LATER, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOMETHING SO THAT WE COULD GET SOMETHING FOR THIS YEAR.
'CAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE AT THIS TIME.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO JOE AND I CHATTED ABOUT IT AND ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TOWN HALL.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TEMPORARY.
AND, AND EVEN THE DESIGN IS A TEMPORARY DESIGN, WHICH WE MAY OR MAY NOT LIKE.
NOTHING WE'RE GONNA DO TO THE ARTIFACT WOULD, UH, IN ANY WAY IMPACT IT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY LATER ON.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE ENTIRE WORK IN-HOUSE.
WHEN WILL IT BE READY FOR US TO HAVE A LOOK?
WE JUST, UH, ENDED CAMPS LAST WEEK AND SO, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR FEEDBACK ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.
UH, AS I THINK I SENT TO THE BOARD TODAY, YOU GOT TO SEE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON ONE 19, UH, THIS LAST, I GUESS WEEK AND A HALF OFF AND ON.
STAFF WAS COMING IN AT 4:00 AM IN THE MORNING SO THAT THEY WOULD AVOID TRAFFIC ON ONE 19.
SO THEY DID SOME OF THE, UM, MULCHING AND TAKING CARE OF ALL THOSE ISLANDS.
IT'S KIND OF THE GATEWAY INTO GREENBURG.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOU FOR THIS.
I, IF ONLY YOU COULD LOOK AT ME IN THE EYE AND SAY, I DID IT AT 4:00 AM I DID NOT.
SO I, I JUST WANTED, REALLY WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF.
YOU AND I WANNA THANK THEM AS WELL.
UM, METAL, UH, IT'S A TEMPORARY, UH, SITUATION.
HOW DO WE MAKE IT SO THAT IT CAN'T BE REMOVED? WE'RE GONNA, UH, RIGHT NOW ATTACHED TO THAT PIECE OF METAL ARE BOLTS THAT THEN ORIGINALLY ATTACHED IT TO THIS SIDE OF THE WALL.
WE'RE GONNA RE WELD SOME BOLTS ONTO IT.
IT WILL BE SECURED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THESE PIECES OF WOOD.
THESE ARE REALLY LARGE PIECES OF WOOD.
AND SO IT WILL BE AS ATTACHED TO THAT AS IT WAS TO THE WALL.
I WOULD SUGGEST WE ALSO PUT A CAMERA ON IT.
BUT YEAH, IT'LL BE RIGHT NEXT TO THE FLAGPOLE THERE, NEXT TO THE, UH, PATIO.
NEXT, NEXT ON THE LIST, UM, SUMMARY OF SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
UM, LISA, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US HIGHLIGHTS? OF COURSE.
THIS IS HOW I GET PAPER CLIPS FOR OUR OFFICE.
ARE YOU GONNA COLLECT THEM FROM ALL OF US ONCE WE'RE DONE? YOU GUYS CAN STOP BY MY OFFICE ANYTIME,
UM, OF COURSE, WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH THE RESOLUTION, UH, UH, WHICH WAS PASSED AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
UM, ON THE SECOND PAGE, ON THE SECOND PAGE, UH, YOU'LL FIND, UH, THE 2024 INTERNSHIP
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PROGRAM HAD 37 INTERNS IN TOTAL.13 COLLEGE, 24, UM, HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I'M SORRY, I ADMITTED, UH, HOW MANY WAS IN T-T-D-Y-C-C? EXCUSE ME.
UM, UH, IN 2025, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 50 INTERNS.
UM, SEVEN COLLEGE, UH, 40 HIGH SCHOOLERS, AND, UH, THREE T-D-Y-C-C.
OUR PARTNERS, OF COURSE, WERE THE FULLER CENTER.
SORRY, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THREE ARE FROM T-D-Y-C-C, THEY'RE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? SO, THEY WERE HOUSED IN THE T-D-Y-C-C BUILDING, SO LIKE, UM, UNDERSTOOD.
AND THAT'S GREAT WHEREVER THEY ARE, BUT JUST, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD GO WITH WHEREVER ALL OF THEM ARE, UM, ALLOCATED TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS RATHER THAN UNDER THIS SECTION, WHICH IS COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW, JUST WHAT THEY GRAB IN SCHOOL.
WHAT, WHAT ARE THE THREE WHO ARE TDY OR IN THEY COLLEGE OR IN HIGH SCHOOL? CO COLLEGE.
SO THEN, SO THEY'RE 43 IN COLLEGE.
10, IT'S 10 COLLEGE AND THEN 10 COLLEGE, RIGHT? YES.
AND, UM, THE, THE TWO PARTNERS THAT WE USED, UH, WERE FULLER CENTER AND AGAIN, T-D-Y-C-C, THE FULLER CENTER IS THE, UH, FORMER, UH, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, UM, UH, COORDINATOR FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
AND HE HAD THE STUDENTS GO OUT THERE AND HELP THOSE, UH, FAMILIES WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE STORM.
THERE WAS A HOME THAT THEY HELPED PAINT.
UM, THERE WAS A, THE RAMP THAT THEY HELPED WITH THE, UM, FOR THE OLDER, UM, FAMILY THAT, UH, AND HELPED WITH THE PAINTING, THE INTERIOR PAINTING, EXTERIOR PAINTING.
UH, THEY HELPED WITH THE RAMP, COMPLETE THE RAMP, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND, UH, DIFFERENT HOMES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY, UH, I, I DON'T WANNA SAY RAINSTORMS, BUT HURRICANES OR, UH, WATER EVENTS, CATASTROPHES, CATASTROPHE EVENTS.
UM, MAY, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? OF COURSE.
SINCE YOU'VE, YOU'VE DESCRIBED IT AS A FAITH DRIVEN AND CHRIST CENTERED, UM, GROUP.
DID THEY TEACH, UH, CHRISTIANITY OR WAS JUST GOOD THE, THE GOOD ACTS? THE GOOD ACTS THAT THEY DID? RIGHT.
THERE WAS ANY, IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GERMANE TO THIS TO HAVE TO SAY THAT IT IS FAITH-DRIVEN AND CHRIST CENTERED.
I WAS JUST STATING THAT THAT WAS THEIR MISSION STATEMENT THE SAME WAY I DID WITH T-D-Y-C-C, THEIR MISSION STATEMENT.
SO YOU'RE JUST TAKING THEIR MISSION.
SO THAT'S THE STATEMENT, THAT'S THE CORRECTION STATEMENT, CORRECT? MM-HMM
SO THE MISSION STATEMENT ENDS, SO THIS IS THE FULL MISSION STATEMENT, CORRECT? BOTH.
AND THEN THERE'S A LIST OF ALL OF THE, UH, STUDENTS THAT WERE, UM, THAT HAD PARTICIPATED IN EACH OF THE, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT ASSISTED US.
WE HAD, UH, THANK YOUS FROM THE, I FORGOT WHICH GROUP THIS WAS.
UM, BUT THEY WERE, IT WAS A THANK YOUS.
THERE WAS JOSHUA THOMAS, UH, THOMAS, WHO WAS THE COLLEGE STUDENT WHO WORKED IN THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
AND HE PUT HIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE ON INDEED, I MEAN LINKEDIN, EXCUSE ME.
AND, UM, JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW THE EXPERIENCE AFFECTED HIM AND HOW GOOD OF AN EXPERIENCE IT WAS JUST A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR HIM.
AND HE GOES INTO DETAIL EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL THAT WAS GIVEN.
AND OF COURSE, UH, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, I WAS ABLE TO GIVE, AGAIN, A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.
UM, I ALSO OFFER 50 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND, UM, ALSO A LETTER OF RE RECOMMENDATION THAT, AS I MENTIONED DURING THE TOWN BOARD MEETING, THAT THEY HAVE USED TO GET INTO, UH, OTHER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, SORORITIES, AND, UM, OTHER, UH, PROJECTS WITH THAT GOES ALONG AND ADD TO THEIR RESUME.
SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS ON LINKEDIN.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THERE WERE, UM, THE DETAILS OF WHAT SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAD WERE GIVING REGARDING THEIR INTERNS AND WHAT THEY DID IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, WHAT THEY DID IN, UM, THE LIBRARY.
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AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, WHICH IS ALSO WHERE JOSHUA, UM, HAD, UH, STATED.AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A BRIEF, BRIEF, BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE STUDENTS, WHAT THEY DID, AND, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT PARTICIPATED AND ASSISTED SO GRACIOUSLY.
I THINK YOU DID A REALLY FANTASTIC JOB.
AND I, AND I LOVE THAT AS WE HAD DISCUSSED, THAT YOU PUT KID, THE KIDS, THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN EACH DEPARTMENT AND GAVE THEM THAT EXPERIENCE IF THEY, FOR THEIR INTEREST.
WE DID GO BY, YOU KNOW, INCREASE BY 13 THE NUMBER OF, OF STUDENTS.
AND, UM, IS YOUR, PER YOUR HOPE TO KEEP INCREASING OR, YOU KNOW, JUST DON'T WANNA OVERLOAD THE DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT KEEPING THEM BUSY IS A LOT OF WORK AS WELL.
BUT, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS THAT THIS WOULD BE ABOUT THE, THE TOP NUMBER, BECAUSE IT THAT NO, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE HIGHEST NUMBER.
UM, AND, AND IT WAS LITERALLY TO THE POINT WHERE, UM, IT LITERALLY JUMPED FROM 18 STUDENTS TO 40 THAT QUICKLY AND WHERE IT GOT OUT, UH, AND I HAD, WE WERE STARTING GETTING INTEREST FROM FEBRUARY.
SO AGAIN, JUST PROUD OF THE, THE WORD THAT GOT OUT OF HOW, YOU KNOW, THE DEPART, UM, THE PROGRAM HAD CHANGED AND HOW YOU REALLY GOT ONE-ON-ONE EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND YOU REALLY LEARNED ABOUT GOVERNMENT.
SO, UM, THE WORD GOT OUT AND BY TIME, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT.
AND YOU START OFF BY INTERVIEWING THE STUDENTS, CORRECT? YES, I DO.
I, I PERSONALLY INTERVIEW EACH AND EVERY ONE.
UM, THEY HAVE TO COME IN WITH A RESUME AND, UH, AND IF THEY DID COME IN, AND EVEN IF IT WAS A LITTLE LIGHT, I GAVE THEM SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT THEY COULD ADD TO IT, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM ACTUALLY, ONE, ACTUALLY PUT NO EXPERIENCE.
AND I SAID, OKAY, UM, DO YOU GO TO CHURCH? SHE WAS LIKE, YES.
I SAID, DO YOU HELP? DO YOU SING? DO YOU, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE? SHE WAS LIKE, YEAH.
UM, WHAT DOES, DID YOU EVER GO TO WORK WITH YOUR PARENTS? YES.
UM, DID YOU, WHAT DOES YOUR MOM DO? SHE WORKS IN THE HOSPITAL.
DID YOU EVER CANDY STRIKE? YES.
HOW ABOUT YOUR DAD? THAT'S STILL A THING.
AND THEN SHE HAD SAID, OH, YOU KNOW, MY DAD WORKS FOR THE UN.
I SAID, DID YOU EVER GO TO ANY OF THEIR MEETINGS? SHE SAID, YES.
I SAID, YOU ARE AN OFFICIAL UN OBSERVER.
SO, SO AGAIN, I JUST GOT VERY, VERY CREATIVE TO HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP THEIR, AND HONE IN ON THEIR SKILLS.
I HAVE SOME, ACTUALLY, OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO FOR SOME OF THE, UM, CATEGORIES OR DEPARTMENTS WHERE THERE ARE A LOT, LET'S SAY FIVE OR SIX INTERNS LISTED, WOULD YOU SAY THAT MAYBE NEXT YEAR YOU WOULD HAVE FEWER OF THOSE IN THOSE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTS? UM, DID THEY ALL HAVE, LIKE, I'M JUST LOOKING AT ENGINEERING IN THE CAFETERIA, HUMAN RESOURCES AND RECORDS ROOM.
DID THEY ALL HAVE ENOUGH TO DO? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, BUT THE ENGINEERING, UM, WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE DONE CLEARING THE CAFETERIA IN ONE WEEK.
SO, OH, THAT'S WHAT, I'M SORRY.
I WAS WAITING, I'M TRYING
I'M LIKE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS.
WHAT DOES THE CAFETERIA MEAN? SURE.
SO WE HAD A, UH, AN EMPLOYEE RETIRE, AND IF YOU EVER WENT BACK TO THE CAFETERIA, THAT IS WHERE ALL OF HIS ARCHIVES ENDED UP.
SO, UM, MY OCD WOULDN'T
SO I ASSIGNED THESE STUDENTS TO HELP ENGINEERING ORGANIZE ALL OF THOSE, SO THAT INFORMATION, SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, INSTEAD OF THIS AND THAT, AND THIS, EVERYTHING READS LIKE A BOOK.
SO WHEN THEY GO IN THE FOLDER, THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, THIS CAN GO HERE, THIS IS HERE, THIS IS HERE.
AND I DID THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE BIN THAT IS NOW THERE AND ORGANIZED.
AND THEN ALL ENGINEERING HAS TO DO NOW IS LABEL IT AND, UM, GET THE ARCHIVE BOXES AND WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO FALL INTO THE SCHEDULE OF KEEPING AND FALLING INTO THE, UM, ARCHIVE,
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UH, NEW YORK STATE, UH, ARCHIVE, UM, UH, PROCEDURE.AND THEN THEY WILL TELL ME IF THEY WANNA KEEP IT OR HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO KEEP IT.
AND THEN I HAVE TO FILE IT IN OUR RECORDS ROOM.
AND THEY WERE DONE WITH THAT IN A WEEK.
SO THEY HAD OTHER PROJECTS, UM, HELPING DEPARTMENTS KIND OF STRAIGHTEN UP.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THEY WEREN'T BUSY IN THE CAFETERIA, THEY HELPED WITH THE FULLER CENTER.
AND HOW LONG WAS THE PROGRAM? HOW MANY WEEKS AND HOW MANY DAYS PER WEEK AND HOW MANY HOURS PER DAY? SURE.
IT STARTED JANUARY, UM, JANUARY.
I'M, I'M LIKE, LISTEN,
IT STARTED JULY 8TH, I BELIEVE.
AND IT WAS TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 3:00 PM THEY GOT ONE HOUR FOR LUNCH.
AND, UM, AND AGAIN, THERE WAS, UM, I ALWAYS GIVE EVERYONE THE OPTION, LIKE, IF YOU REALLY DON'T LIKE THE DEPARTMENTS YOU'RE IN, COME TO ME AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE CAME TO ME, A COUPLE OF THE STUDENTS, THEY WAS LIKE, AH, AND IT ENDED UP LOVING IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, AH, BUT, UM, THEY WORKED IT THROUGH SOME, I MOVED AROUND, BUT MOST OF THEM VERY, VERY PLEASED.
AND NOTHING FOR IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, NOTHING IN PARKS.
IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO PUT OUR INTERNS WITH THE, I I WANNA SAY THE HIRED COUNSELORS OR, UM, AND THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE WITH DPW.
AND, UM, AS I, UM, I STATED IN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, MEETING, UM, ENGINE ENGINEERING, YES.
ENGINEERING ACTUALLY HIRED, UH, THE, UH, LAST YEAR'S INTERN.
UM, AND NOW SHE IS WORKING, UH, SHE JUST ACTUALLY WENT BACK TO SCHOOL, UH, TO A, A SPECIAL PROGRAM.
AND, UH, SHE IS NOW ABLE TO COME BACK DURING THE WINTER AND SHE WILL BE WORKING FOR THE TOWN, UM, WHEN SHE'S HOME FROM SCHOOL.
AND IT'S NONE OTHER THAN LEE BURTON DAUGHTER LEE'S BURTON'S DAUGHTER.
YOU GUYS DONE, I WAS JUST, I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED.
SO YOU HAVE PARTNERS HERE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE FULLEST CENTER, AND THEN YOU HAVE TDYC.
SO THEN, THEN YOU HAVE THE ATTORNEY.
SO ARE YOU CALLING THE FULLEST CENTER? TDYC ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? ARE YOU CALLING ALL OF THEM PARTNERS? NO, I'M SORRY.
UH, THE, THE DEPARTMENTS ARE BELOW ATTORNEYS AND BELOW THE PART, THE TWO PARTNERS ARE, ARE THE ONES WHO I GAVE THE MISSION STATEMENTS TO.
SO WHY WOULD WE HA, WHY WOULD WE SEPARATE OUT TDYC? SINCE IT'S OUR DEPARTMENT, IT IS OUR, BUT IT'S OFF PROPERTY.
I HAVE, I'VE TRIED TO KEEP IT THAT EVERYONE WAS ON THE PROPERTY, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TOWN HALL.
OH, SO ENGINEERING DIDN'T GO OFF PROPERTY? UH, THEY, THE FULLER CENTER.
NO, BUT YOU SAID THAT ONLY ONE ENGINEERING, UM, WENT OFF PROPERTY AND SHE WAS HIRED, BUT THE OTHER I, HOW WERE THEY FIXING UP THE HOUSES AND STUFF? THAT WAS THE FULLER CENTER.
ENGINEERING FULLER CENTER ENGINEERING CAFETERIA, RIGHT? YEAH.
BUT, BUT I THINK IT WAS, NO ONE WAS OFF PROPERTY.
RIGHT? THEY WERE THERE THE FULL FULLER CENTER.
THAT, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS CLEARED WITH THE PARENTS.
BUT MOST OF, MOST OF ALL, UH, THOSE WERE THAT, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD A SPECIAL AGREEMENT WITH THE PARENTS, BECAUSE OTHERWISE EVERYBODY WAS ON PROPERTY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF T-D-Y-C-C IN THE LIBRARY.
THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY I SAID, UM, I SHOULD HAVE ADDED THE LIBRARY BECAUSE THEY ARE OFF PROPERTY.
I MEAN, OFF, THEY'RE PART OF THE TOWN, BUT OFF PROPERTY.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST MAKE TOWN PROPERTY AS A CATEGORY? OKAY.
SO NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE IN TOWN PROPERTY, THEY'RE ON TOWN PROPERTY? YEAH.
'CAUSE THEY'RE, I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAY PARTNER, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM A DIFFERENT KIND OF A WAY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST AN, IT'S AN OFFSITE.
UM, NOW WHAT ABOUT THE STIP? UM, SO SORRY.
SO HOW MANY OF THE, HOW MANY OF THEM, IF YOU KNOW, WERE, UM, FROM UNINCORPORATED, ANY FROM THE VILLAGES, ANY BREAKDOWN LIKE THAT MIXED, ALL VERY, VERY MIXED.
UH, LOT OF MIXED, UM, UH, THAT DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO ADD THAT IN THE OVERVIEW, BUT I WILL ADD THAT.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE MIX, LOT OF WOODLAND STUDENTS MM-HMM
SO NO, OUTSIDE GREENBERG SCHOOLS NEVER.
SO, UM, AND FOR THE STIPENDS, THE COLLEGE STUDENTS JUST
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RECEIVED THE STIPENDS? OR DO THEY NO, MM-HMM.$400 FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 5 99 FOR THE COLLEGE.
SO WE, WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER THEN? UM, I WILL SEE, BECAUSE WE JUST GOT THIS IN.
SO, UM, ACCORDING TO MY BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT LEFT, BUT NOT MUCH AFTER, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD TO TRANSFER, SO IT'S LIKE $1,600 PER HOUR, OR, UM, WHEN I, WHEN I DID THE MATH LAST YEAR, IT'S ROUGHLY $12 AN HOUR FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
IS LIKE ALMOST $50 HOUR, WHAT YOU SAID, IS THERE 12 PER HOUR? YEAH, 12 DAYS AN HOUR.
NOT 12 HOURS PER DAY, BUT, BUT IF IT'S A STIPEND, IT'S NOT REALLY AN HOURLY THING.
YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT PER DAY.
SO THEM, IT'S DOLLARS PER DAY FOR THE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY THINGS THAT YOU WOULD SAY FROM YOUR OWN CRITIQUE OF HOW IT WENT YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY OR WHATEVER NEXT YEAR OR LESS THAN INTERNS? OKAY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MATCH TO THE, THE IDEAL NUMBER? UH, BETWEEN 40 AND 45? YEAH.
BECAUSE THE, THE, UM, THE STUDENTS THAT WERE IN THE SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE, THEY WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY AUTONOMOUS BECAUSE OF, UH, UH, I KEEP CALLING HER PHOEBE, DAPHNE DAUGHTER.
AND, UM, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WITH THE FULLER CENTER, AGAIN, JUST NOT IT OFFSITE AND AGAIN, WITH THE LIBRARY, AND AGAIN, WITH T-D-Y-C-C, SO IT'S NOT REALLY UNDER MY, MY IMMEDIATE SIGHT.
SO IT'S, IT'S EASIER TO, YOU KNOW, HANDLE LESS INTERNS HERE.
BUT THE, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF USING THE CHILDREN HERE, EXCUSE ME, STUDENTS, WAS TO BECOME COMPLIANT.
THAT WAS THE MAIN THING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT, IT'S WISE TO THINK ABOUT, UM, UH, FEWER STUDENTS BECAUSE IN, IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH, WITH INTERNS, UM, THEY DO END UP HAVING A LOT OF FREE TIME.
AND IF YOU HAVE FEWER KIDS, THEY'LL GET MORE BENEFIT OUT OF THE, THE WORK THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THEM.
UH, IT WAS, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS 18, AND THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, IT WAS 40
SORRY, WHAT? WHAT? YOU, YOU SAID WERE GONNA BE CONNECTION.
I'M SORRY? YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA BE COMPLIANT.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR RECORDS ROOM, UM, THEY WERE ASSISTING WITH, UH, THE, UM, THE MOVING OF THE BOXES AND OH, OKAY.
THAT TYPE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE IN, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH, UM, NOT MAKE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT TOO HIGH.
AND YOU MEAN SAFETY ISSUES FOR, THERE WAS SAFETY ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, YEAH, THAT'S THE HEIGHT, FOR INSTANCE.
CAN'T STACK THE BOXES UNTIL YOU CAN'T BLOCK THE SPRINKLERS.
AND, UM, AND I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO, UH, MY DEPUTY WHO WAS SO, SO INSTRUMENTAL IN, UM, CLEARING, UH, THE BACK WALL REGARDING THE, UH, SAFETY ISSUES IN THE BACK.
AND WHEN WE DID OUR MASSIVE, UM,
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST DOCUMENTING ALL OF THE RECORDS THAT WERE DESTROYED AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING WENT OUT THE DOOR THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO.
AND, UM, AND JUST MAKING SURE.
DOCUMENTATION, DOCUMENTATION, DOCUMENTATION.
HAVE YOU DID, WAS THERE ANY EXIT SUR SUR UM, SURVEY THAT THE STUDENTS FILLED OUT AS TO WHAT THEY THOUGHT
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OF THE INTERNSHIP AND WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED, OR, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.WHATEVER I USU I USUALLY DO THAT AFTER, AFTER, AFTER, AFTER THEY GET THEIR MONEY.
I, AND THEN I, I USUALLY DO
I MEAN, STRATEGIC, ABSOLUTELY
YOU SAY, WE DID GOOD, WE DID BAD
WELL, IN A WAY THOUGH, THAT HELPS BECAUSE THEN THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO INFLUENCE YOU AND MAKING SURE THEY GET THE MONEY.
IT ALREADY HAPPENS, SO THEY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FORTHRIGHT.
I'VE DONE ROGUE PROGRAMS. I HEARD 50.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER DOING IT FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME? NO.
YOU GAVE THAT A LOT OF THOUGHT.
IT TAKES A, TAKES A LOT OF TIME ON THE PARTY AND STAFF TO NOT THAT SHE'S NOT, THAT SHE DOESN'T LIKE YOUNG ADULTS.
IT'S SORT OF, YEAH, NO, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, WE, WE TRY TO USE THEM FOR SPECIFIC, VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
I, TO MENTION, UH, DAPHNE LUCIANA, WHO WORKED IN MY OFFICE, UM, SHE JUST GOT A VERY PRESTIGIOUS, UH, FALL INTERNSHIP, UM, WITH, UM, UH, MAJOR WASHINGTON, UH, UH, ADVOCACY GROUP.
SO SHE TOLD ME TODAY WE, WE'VE CONTINUED THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND, UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER INTERN WHO START, WHO STARTED ON MONDAY.
AND, UM, THEY WERE WORKING ON, UM, TRYING TO SET UP A STUDENT RUN SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, INITIATIVE WHERE WE'RE GONNA HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES, UH, WITH SOCIAL MEDIA SKILLS AND THE SNOW ANGELS, UM, IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO YOU'RE DOING A SEPARATE INTERNSHIP? NOT MY BUDGET.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN IT'S THE SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE.
NO, HE DOES IT, HE DOES IT YEAR LONG, YEAH.
SO THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION WHEN ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE AN INTERN COULD DO SO.
SO NEXT ON THE LIST WAS THE FORMATION OF LAND USE COMMITTEE.
UM, SO BASICALLY, UM, I, UM, HAVE REQUESTED THAT I BE ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, THE LAND USE COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, FRANCIS SHANE AND GINA, UM, JACKSON HAVE BEEN ATTENDING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, THEY'RE HELD EVERY FRIDAY.
UM, AND SO FAR I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, SO I WROTE TO THE NEW YORK STATE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, AND THEY INDICATED TO ME, UH, INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF A PUBLIC BODY SUCH AS A TOWN BOARD HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT PUBLIC BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN.
UNLESS A QUORUM OF THE BODY GATHERS TOGETHER TO CONDUCT SUCH BUSINESS AT A MEETING HELD IN COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS, LAW DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER OR NOT THE DISCUSSION RELATES TO POLICY ISSUES.
AS TOWN SUPERVISOR, YOU HAVE THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO APPOINT THE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO AID AND ASSIST THE BOARD IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS DUTIES.
C TOWN LAW SECTION 63, SUCH COMMITTEES BY STATUTORY DEFINITION ALSO CONSTITUTE PUBLIC BODIES, WHICH MUST COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
IN SHORT, THESE TWO BOARD MEMBERS, IN OUR OPINION, HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO MEET WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS TO DISCUSS TOWN BUSINESS UNLESS YOU HAVE DESIGNATED THEM AS A COMMITTEE.
IF, AND ONCE YOU DO THOSE MEETINGS WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS SHOULD BE HELD IN COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
AND IT'S SIGNED BY MIGUEL CARLOS, UH, BATISTA, UM, EXCELSIOR FELLOW, NEW YORK STATE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT THE STATE CREATED.
UM, IT'S PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE THAT DEALS WITH, UM, WELL OPEN MEETINGS, LAWS RELATING TO THE TOWN.
THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE IS NOT WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE A COMMITTEE, BECAUSE I FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE A COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO FRANCIS OR GINA BEING PART OF THE COMMITTEE.
ALSO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE ISSUE IS NOT ME, PAUL FINER BEING A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE ISSUE IS THE RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE OF TOWN SUPERVISOR.
AND I FEEL THAT THE OFFICE OF TOWN SUPERVISOR SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN EVERY ASPECT OF TOWN GOVERNMENT AND SHOULD BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT EVERY MAJOR OR MINOR ISSUE DEALING WITH THE TOWN.
SO LAST WEEK AT OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING, COUNCILMAN SHEHAN MENTIONED, UM, RELATING TO THE DRAGO MATTER THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING DRAGO AT THESE LAND USE MEETINGS.
I THINK YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE
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BEEN DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, FLOOD INITIATIVES AT THE LAND USE MEETING.THERE'S NO AGENDAS OF THESE MEETINGS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU HOLD HOLD EVERY FRIDAY FOR OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF EVERY, EVERY WEEK WITH, UH, THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY, THE BUILDING INSPECTOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS THAT ARE RELEVANT.
THESE ARE MEETINGS WHERE POLICY DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE, UM, WITHOUT MY INVOLVEMENT, AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE TOWN BOARD TO, UM, ONE OPTION WOULD BE TO HAVE ME ON THE COMMITTEE.
UM, OPTION TWO WOULD BE, UH, TO FORM A FORMAL COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WOULD BE PREFERABLE, THAT WOULD COMPLY WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
AND, UM, THERE WOULD BE AGENDAS, UH, THERE WOULD BE, UH, MINUTES TAKEN.
EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD WOULD BE INVITED TO, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, ATTEND THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE SECRETIVE, UH, WE COULD DO WHAT WE DO WITH OTHER THINGS AND HOLD EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT LAND USE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND I DON'T WANT TO FEEL THAT I'M EXCLUDED FROM, UM, THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE.
SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHERE ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE FOR ONE OF THE TWO MEMBERS WHO CURRENTLY ARE ATTENDING THE MEETINGS NOT TO ATTEND.
UH, AND I, I WOULD REPLACE THAT PERSON AND THEN I'D BE, I'D BE HAPPY WITH THAT ALSO.
ALRIGHT, SO PAUL, THIS MEETING STARTED LATE BECAUSE YOU WERE MEETING WITH PEOPLE.
WAS THAT RELATED TO TOWN BUSINESS? YEAH, AND I BASICALLY INVITED EVERYBODY TO THAT MEETING.
NO, NO, PAUL, JUST WHAT MEETING WAS IT? SO YOU WERE, THAT WAS WITH THE HARSDALE MEETING YOU I TOLD EVERYBODY ABOUT THAT LAST WEEK.
AND YOU, SO YOU WERE HARTILL MEETING WAS AT NOON? NO, NO, THIS WAS, NO, THIS WAS A MEETING RELATED.
LET, LET HIM, YOU JUST ACKNOWLEDGED THAT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE TOWN BOARD MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT TOWN BUSINESS.
YOU WANNA READ WHAT YOU JUST READ FROM THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT? WELL, LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING INDIVIDUAL.
WELL, LEMME SAY, PAUL, I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF A PUBLIC BODY, SUCH AS A TOWN BOARD, YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE TOWN BOARD, HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT PUBLIC BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN UNLESS A REQUIREMENT OF THE BODY GATHERS TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS, CONDUCT SUCH BUSINESS AT A MEETING HELD IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
YOU JUST VIOLATED THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW BASED ON WHAT YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO POINT.
UM, YOU COULD, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING.
I, LAST WEEK, UM, TOLD EVERY BOARD MEMBER THAT I WAS HAVING THIS MEETING TODAY AT, UH, 4 45.
AND SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID IT'S RELATING TO, WAS THERE A QUORUM THERE? OKAY.
WHAT? SO WHERE'S THERE A QUORUM THERE? THIS WASN'T THE HEART.
THIS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SUPERMARKET.
DID YOU HAVE A QUORUM? IT WAS ME.
AND WHAT YOU JUST READ FROM THIS VERY BOGUS OPINION, IT'S NOT A BOGUS OPINION.
IT SAYS, LET'S STATE YOU'RE VIOLATING OPEN MEETINGS LAWS FROM NEW YORK STATE.
LET ME, LET ME JUST, YOU SPOKE GO THROUGH THIS VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE YOU KEEP REPEATING THE SAME THING, WHICH IS TOTALLY INACCURATE.
YOU'RE AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE TOWN BOARD, CORRECT? YOU SAID YOU WERE, AND YOU ARE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUB OF A PUBLIC BODY, SUCH AS A TOWN BOARD, WHICH YOU ARE A MEMBER, HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT PUBLIC BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN UNLESS A QUORUM OF THE BODY GATHERS TOGETHER.
YOU JUST MET IN THE OTHER ROOM WITHOUT HAVING A QUORUM.
ACCORDING TO THIS OPINION, YOU VIOLATED THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
THAT MEANS THAT NONE OF US CAN SPEAK TO STAFF.
YOU KEEP REFERRING TO THIS LAND USE COMMITTEE THAT BEATS ON FRIDAY.
IT IS A, IT WAS NEVER, YOU MEET EVERY, AS A COMMITTEE, YOU MEET EVERY FRIDAY FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR AND A HALF TO THREE HOURS.
IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT A COMMITTEE.
WELL, IT'S, IT IS A GROUP OF, IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE STATE LAW.
PAUL, PAUL, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH TODAY.
THIS IS YOUR 12277TH DAY AS TOWN SUPERVISOR.
IN ANY ONE OF THOSE DAYS, YOU COULD HAVE CREATED A COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT LAND USE AND YOU CHOSE NOT TO.
WHEN I BECAME TOWN BOARD MEMBER, VERY QUICKLY I RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR TOWN STAFF TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER.
NOT AS WHAT YOU DO AT YOUR MEETINGS.
WHAT CAN YOU CUT, WHAT CAN YOU CUT, WHAT CAN YOU CUT PEOPLE TO HAVE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS? BECAUSE I KNOW, 'CAUSE I WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAY
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AT THAT PODIUM, AND WE WOULD ASK INDIVIDUAL BO UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS WHAT WAS THEIR OPINION ABOUT SOMETHING? AND THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE A DISCUSSION IN ADVANCE.SO I KNEW THE NEED FOR HAVING THAT.
AND FOR 18 YEARS, 18 YEARS, I DID THAT BY MYSELF.
YOU HAD EVERY RIGHT TO SAY, FRANCIS, I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THOSE LAND USE MEETINGS.
I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A FEW YEARS, A FEW YEARS FOR 18 YEARS.
THEN GINA COMES ON THE BOARD AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE PART OF THOSE LAND USE MEETINGS.
AND NOW THAT THERE'S TWO MEMBERS AND A THIRD WOULD MAKE A QUORUM, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER 12,277 DAYS, YOU SAY, HEY, I NEED ONE OF YOU TO STEP OFF SO I CAN STEP IN BECAUSE YOU WANT TO VIOLATE THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW BY BEING A THIRD PERSON IN THIS GROUP.
THIS IS ME MEETING WITH MY DEPARTMENTS THAT I AM LIAISON TO.
IT IS GINA MEETING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT SHE'S LIAISON TO AND HAVING MEANINGFUL TECHNICAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S BEFORE US, US.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH YOU AND GINA BEING PART, UH, MEETING, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DIALOGUE.
AND I FEEL THAT I HAVE DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES AND DIFFERENT, UH, VISIONS RELATING TO THE TOWN.
THEN YOU OR GINA HAVE YOU BOTH GENERALLY VOTE THE SAME WAY ON EVERYTHING? SO THE THING IS, SO ALL, SO ALL I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT WE HAVE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE, ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE A GIVE AND TAKE, WE HAVE AN AGENDA, WE HAVE, UH, MINUTES.
AND THEN BASICALLY, UH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD BENEFIT BECAUSE THEY WOULD HEAR DIFFERING UH, VIEWS.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE LIKE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SAY THE A DU LAWS, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE ONE APPROACH, I MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH OR A DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT FEELINGS.
AND IF THEY WOULD BE BASICALLY MORE DIALOGUE AND MORE DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS, IT WOULD GIVE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DIFFERENT, UH, FEEL AS TO UM, WHAT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, ISSUES ARE.
ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF POLICY IS BEING MADE AT THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE BASICALLY, UH, THERE'S NO MINUTES, THERE'S NO AGENDAS.
WE'RE NOT TOLD WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE BEING TOLD NOT TO FOLLOW UP ON THINGS OR TO FOLLOW UP.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT'S BEING.
I CAN ANSWER NO, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW WHAT ATTORNEY, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN OBJECTIVE FROM THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
WAIT, DON'T INTERRUPT ME BECAUSE BASICALLY YOU'RE IN A INTERRUPTING.
EVERYBODY ELSE, PAUL 12,277 DAYS.
ALL I'M SAYING IS, ALL I'M SAYING IS IF DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE ATTENDING, I'M THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE TOWN.
BUT YOU HAVE OPPORT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS.
I WANNA HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WHAT, WHAT, WAIT, CAN I SAY, CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? I CAN'T.
PAUL, DO YOU ATTEND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS? I ATTEND? DO YOU ATTEND? DO YOU ATTEND, ATTEND THE ONES THAT I WANT ATTEND, YES.
I LISTEN, THAT'S NOT, NOT THE ANSWER.
MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU ATTEND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS? I ATTEND, I AM IN TOUCH WITH, UM, THAT'S NOT MY QUESTION.
SO, SO AS YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE NEWEST PERSON ON THIS BOARD, THAT WOULD BE TO MEET MOST, YOU TOLD ME, EXCUSE ME.
LEMME ME FINISH TALKING PLEASE.
AS, UH, THE, THAT'S YOUR, TO ME, YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE TO ATTEND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS.
IS THAT NOT, COULD I ANSWER THAT? AND THAT WOULD SEEM THAT THAT WOULD BE THE TIME THAT HE WOULD LEARN ABOUT, SO PAUL, LET'S, LET'S BE HONEST HERE.
PAUL ATTENDED EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING THAT HE HELD AS A DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING CHAIR.
THE PROBLEM WAS, IS THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, EVERY ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, THE MEETING CONSISTED SOLELY OF GOING AROUND THE ROOM AND ASKING EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, WHAT CAN YOU CUT? I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.
DEPARTMENT HEADS EVENTUALLY STOPPED COMING.
AND WHAT HAPPENED? NOW OUR HOUSE STAFF, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS DECIDED TO MEET WHETHER YOU CAN MAKE IT OR NOT.
AND NOW THOSE ARE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS AMONG DEPARTMENT HEADS AS TO HOW TO WORK EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TOGETHER.
AND NOT THEM WORRIED ABOUT, HEY, THEY'RE GOING TO ASK ME TO CUT AND ASK YOU TO CUT.
AND AS A VERY FAMOUS EXAMPLE OF YOU WENT AROUND THE TABLE AND JERRY BYRNE FROM PARKS SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS A LANDSCAPER WE PROBABLY COULD CUT.
AND HE WAS FURIOUS BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME DIRE CIRCUMSTANCE.
BUT IT WAS JUST, THAT'S NOT A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION, THAT'S NOT A MEANINGFUL DEPARTMENT HEAD.
BUT THOSE ARE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS YOU HELD UNTIL THE STAFF DECIDED WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET THE WORK DONE AND WE
[00:40:01]
HAVE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH FEWER RESOURCES.AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
WE HAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS RUNNING THE DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS INSTEAD OF YOU.
I THINK SO DID YOU WANT, I I I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETHING AS TOWN ATTORNEY THAT I BELIEVE WE'RE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS LAW, NO OFFICIAL BUSINESS IS DONE AT THOSE MEETINGS.
EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH A RESOLUTION, WHICH IS THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT THROUGH TOWN LAW.
AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAS THE RIGHT TO REVIEW THOSE DOCUMENTS.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT PURSUANT TO OUR PROCEDURES TO HOLD AN ITEM OVER IF YOU FEEL, FEEL ILL-INFORMED ABOUT AN ITEM OR YOU NEED MORE QUESTIONING ABOUT AN ITEM.
I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A DIRECTIVE FROM ANYBODY AT THAT MEETING TO GO IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION.
I HAVE MY OWN MIND, I HAVE MY OWN RESEARCH, AND I FEEL LIKE THE OTHER EMPLOYEES WOULD SAY THE SAME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO WHO CAN ATTEND, WHO CAN'T ATTEND, BUT EXCEPT FOR THREE PEOPLE WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS.
LAW AND STAFF MEET BOARD MEMBERS.
AND OPENING TO THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT BE CONDUCTIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF GETTING BUSINESS ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED.
AND I WOULD SAY, BUT SAID, WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM.
I'M, SO I'M CONFUSED THE MEETING, THE, THE LAW THAT IT'S NOT A COMMITTEE.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT ACTUAL COMMITTEES.
THIS IS A STAFF MEETING WITH LIAISONS.
THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT ONLY GIVES AN OPINION BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED TO IT.
SO PAUL PROVIDED THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THIS IS A COMMITTEE, BUT IS IT, AND SO HE THEN RELIES ON AN OPINION THAT'S BASED ON MISINFORMATION TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
BUT IN EVERY ONE OF THEIR OFFICIAL ONES, AND THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ONE, THEY PUT AT THE BOTTOM THAT THIS IS BASED SOLELY ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED.
IF THERE ARE OTHER FACTS, YOU KNOW, IT MAY MAKE A, OKAY, WELL, LEMME JUST MAKE SURE.
AND MAY I, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET, MAY I? UM, I, I, MY SENSE IS THAT ANY TIME THERE IS A RESOLUTION THAT REQUIRES WORK OR EXPENDITURE TO BE DONE ON THE BEHALF OF THE TOWN, THE COMMISSIONER MAKES A PRESENTATION.
AND IN THAT PRESENTATION, THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ASK QUESTIONS, THEY'RE ENCOURAGED.
THE, THE, THE AS AS, UM, THE COUNCILMAN MENTIONED THERE IS BEFOREHAND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW ALL THE MATERIALS SO THAT YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
AND SOME, AND OFTEN WE DO, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S DISCUSSED AT, AT THESE, THESE, UM, UH, MEETINGS BETWEEN THE LIAISONS AND, AND THE, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, THEY, THEY MIGHT NOT REMEMBER OR REALIZE THAT THEY FORGOT SOMETHING.
SO THOSE OF US WHO DON'T ATTEND THE MEETINGS, WHETHER IT IS COUNCILWOMAN HABER OR SUPERVISOR FINER, OR MYSELF OR ME, UM, WE CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND GET THOSE ANSWERS AND THEY CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THE INPUT THAT THEY GET, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO THEN THEY GET THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY.
WHOEVER WANTS TO COMMENT AND ASK QUESTIONS AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS IS WELCOME.
THE, THE, THE QUESTION I I HAVE IS OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT AND THEIR EMAIL TO ME SAID THE TOWN IS IN VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS.
LAW TOWN ATTORNEY SAYS WE'RE NOT IN VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
MY RECOMMENDATION, UM, AND FRANCIS CHIAN IS SAYING IT'S BASED ON THE EMAIL THAT I SENT, WHICH IS ACCURATE BECAUSE I GAVE THEM INFORMATION.
UM, AND UH, MAYBE THE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD WANT TO CLARIFY IT.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IS THAT, UM, SINCE I FEEL THAT WE'RE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW, EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS WE'RE NOT IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW, I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD INVITE TO A PUBLIC MEETING OF THE, UH, OF THE TOWN BOARD WORK SESSION, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT TO ATTEND OUR WORK SESSION.
SO THEY COULD BASICALLY HEAR BOTH SIDES AND THEN TELL US, ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE OF THE LAW OR WE'RE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
AND IT WOULD BE SIMPLE BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATURE CREATED A COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, DECADES AGO.
AND THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS CHARGED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO, UM, INTERPRET THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW OF THE STATE.
SO IF WE BASICALLY INVITED THEM TO THE ME TO THE MEETING AND ANYBODY AT THE MEETING COULD SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT, I COULD EXPRESS MY VIEWS, YOU COULD EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS.
THEN THEY WOULD COME UP WITH AN OPINION AFTER HEARING BOTH SIDES.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT MY, UM, MY THOUGHTS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, INACCURATE.
STATE LAW, YES, THERE'S A STATE LAW ABOUT COMMITTEES, FREEDOM, INFORMATION LAW, BUT TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
AND WE HAVE, BUT THAT WAS ABOUT COMMITTEES.
AND CAN I FINISH? BECAUSE I WOULD
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SAY, I WOULD SAY THAT, THAT YOU JUST INSULTED OUR ATTORNEY BECAUSE OUR ATTORNEY HAS NOT FAILED US.THEY, HE'S BEEN, WE, HE'S GIVEN US RELIABLE INFORMATION ALL ALONG THE WAY.
AND TO QUESTION HIM IS, IS REALLY TO ME DISRESPECTFUL.
WELL, IF THE STATE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT IS SAYING THAT WE'RE IN VIOLATION, BOG INFORMATION NOT ON, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE, PAUL, PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING.
I THINK WE COULD ALL AGREE ON SOMETHING HERE.
AS TOWN SUPERVISOR, YOU HAVE THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO APPOINT THE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO AID AND ASSIST THE BOARD IN PERFORMANCE OF ITS DUTIES.
I DON'T THINK YOU GET ANY OBJECTION FROM ANY OF US.
YOU COULD HAVE DONE THAT FOR TWO TH 20 12,277 DAYS.
YOU'VE CHOSEN NOT TO RIGHT NOW.
CREATE A COMMITTEE, LAND USE COMMITTEE, WHATEVER COMMITTEE YOU WANT, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO DO THAT.
LISTEN TO THE STAFF, LISTEN TO THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THIS TOWN GREAT.
THE, THE PROBLEM THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE, YOU DON'T WANNA MAKE, LEMME LEMME SAY SOMETHING.
THESE MEETINGS ARE BASICALLY INFORMAL.
THEY LAST, IT'S EVERY FRIDAY AND IT, IT'S, IT LAST AT LEAST AN HOUR.
USUALLY AN HOUR AND A HALF, SOMETIMES TWO, THREE HOURS.
SO THE THING IS OBVIOUSLY THESE MEETING, SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF I CREATED A LAND USE COMMITTEE, YOU, LET'S SAY I LANDED, CREATED A LAND USE COMMITTEE, UM, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMITTEE? I WOULD NOT BE ON A COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE HAVING A COMMITTEE IS NOT HAVING A INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR STAFF.
COMMITTEES ARE SUBJECT TO OPEN MEETINGS, LAWS MEETINGS ARE STAFF MEETINGS ARE NOT, ARE NOT SUBJECT TO OPEN MEETINGS, LAWS IT TO GET DONE.
AND WE CAN'T GET WORK DONE IF WE'RE ALL IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
SO OF US COMING TOGETHER AND COLLABORATING SO WE CAN, SO WE CAN HANDLE WHAT WE NEED TO HANDLE.
SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT, WE ALSO HAVE A PLANNING BOARD ISN'T LAND USE.
I WANNA HAVE INFORMAL DIALOGUES WITH ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU'RE HERE SHOULD BE HERE ACCESS.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LIKE, BUT YOU'RE NOT ATTENDING THE MEETINGS YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE FULL, LET ME JUST REALLY QUICKLY, YOU HAVE FULL ACCESS TO STAFF 'CAUSE YOU ARE HERE.
SO WHY DO YOU NEED US PRESENT? YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO AND YOU CAN HAVE THOSE SAME CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE SO UPSET.
NO, BECAUSE BA BASICALLY BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, LAST WEEK, UH, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE D DRAGO DISPUTE WAS SO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I, NO, AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS ON LAND USE ON MY OWN.
WELL I WASN'T INVITED, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S, THAT WAS AN MEETING MEETING.
LET'S KEEP, I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS, I VALUE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS.
I VALUE THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU HAVE, WHEN WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE SOME VERY GOOD, UH, IDEAS AND VERY GOOD, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTIONS AND VERY GOOD QUESTIONS.
AND I FEEL THAT IF ALL OF US WOULD SIT IN, IN A, IN AN INFORMAL MEETING AND PARTICIPATE, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE TOWN.
THAT'S THE SO WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT? THAT'S NOT OUR JOB.
WHY DON'T YOU, I JUST ASKED FRANCIS IF HAD PARTICIPANT, HE SAID NO.
WHY, WHY FOR 18 YEARS OF ME HAVING THESE MEETINGS ALL BY MYSELF AS A TOWN BOARD MEMBER, YOU COULD HAVE AT ANY POINT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THOSE MEETING.
I DID SAY THAT OVER THE NEVER, NEVER UNTIL THE, UNTIL GINA WAS ALL, NO, AS SOON AS GINA WANTED TO DO IT, PROBLEM.
NOW YOU WANNA BE A THIRD PERSON.
I DON'T PERSON A PROBLEM WITH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GINA.
CAN I SAY JUST AS YOU AS LIAISON TO THE PARK PARKING AUTHORITY, YOU HAVE MEETINGS WITH THEM AND DISCUSSIONS.
JOY IN HER RESPONSIBILITIES AS LIAISON AND I IN MINE HAVE MEETINGS WITH OUR GROUP.
SO THEY'VE COMBINED THEIR MEETING BECAUSE LAND USE IS HA AS A MULTI LEGGED STOOL THAT REQUIRES THE COLLABORATION OF ALL OF THESE GROUPS HAVING TO DO WITH LAND USE.
WHETHER IT'S BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND DPW.
AND, UH, SO YOU, YOU, THIS IS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AND IT'S AN ASSET TO THE TOWN.
THEY'RE GIVING UP THEIR OWN PERSONAL TIME TO THAT THEY ARE NOT COMPENSATED FOR TO HELP THIS TOWN THAT THEY LOVE SO MUCH.
YOU'RE NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE THE CORNER ON LOVING THIS TOWN.
AND THEY HAVE PUT IN THE EXTRA MILE TO HELP MOVE IT FORWARD IN A
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COHESIVE WAY.AND I'M, FOR 1:00 AM VERY GRATEFUL.
AND ALWAYS ARE WE, I I JUST WANT, UH, BE VERY CLEAR.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE AT THIS TABLE OBJECTS TO YOU CREATING A COMMITTEE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS YOU CAN DO AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
OKAY? SO THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING YOU AND I SUPPORT THAT.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION.
MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISCUSSING PERSONAL MATTERS, LEADING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF PARTICULAR PERSONS AND A CORPORATION, AND TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING PENDING PROPO, UM, PERSONAL PERSON PROPOSED, AND CURRENT LITIGATION.